Why are science fairs important? What makes the science fair process valuable? It’s an excellent question and a good way to start a class discussion about this time-honored tradition. First and foremost, why DO we ask our students to work on a science fair project year after year? The answer, in a nutshell, is to help them learn how to think like scientists. Scientists find answers to questions that interest them. In other words, your students simply need to ask themselves, What do I want to know more about?

What is the scientific method? It’s one of the stepping stones your students need to cover before starting any science fair project.

As this helpful primer from Science Buddies states, “Whether you are doing a science fair project, a classroom science activity, independent research, or any other hands-on science inquiry, understanding the steps of the scientific method will help you focus your scientific question and work through your observations and data to answer the question as well as possible.”

Whether you’re a science teacher, a parent, or just a science buff, you probably know plenty about how rewarding—and stressful—a science fair can be. If you’re looking for the best way to communicate with your students about the steps involved in developing a science project, we’ve got you covered. Each of the videos below explains how to plan and execute a great science fair presentation.

Enjoy! If you find a video on science fairs that you’d like to share with us, please leave a comment!

A science fair project is made of researching, planning, experimenting, analyzing… and of course, choosing the right materials! That’s where Educational Innovations comes in. We specialize in materials that really bring science to life—uniquely memorable, phenomenon-based products. Whether your students want to perform science fair experiments on density, thermodynamics, ultraviolet light, electricity or anything else, we are your resource.

If you have a favorite science fair experiment or product, please let us know in the comments section below!

What can a teacher do when the season’s cold, wet, or snowy weather makes curious and rambunctious children go stir crazy? This was exactly the predicament I found myself in with my five-year-old grandson last year. After sledding and playing in the snow, Henry and I looked for something else to do. I reached deep into my Nana brain and unlocked my inner teacher. “What’s your teachable moment today, Nana?” I murmured.

All weekend long, we had been experiencing the crackle and pop of static electricity as a result of the house’s warm, dry air. Henry himself had been zapped a half dozen times. Petting the family dog, he marveled as her hair stood on end. He was curious: what was this invisible power?